The firm’s Environmental Law practice group assists our clients with a variety of environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, and enforcement-related matters.  Our goal is to guide our clients through the complex regulatory requirements of federal, state and local environmental laws, and to find cost-effective solutions to environmental compliance challenges and environmental disputes.

Our environmental attorneys regularly deal with federal, state and local regulatory agencies in regulatory programs such as:

• Oil and hazardous substance spill prevention programs including state and federal regulations under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA 90), Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) plans, and Underground and Aboveground Storage Tank (UST and AST) regulatory programs.
• Clean Water Act (FWPCA) Waterw pollution programs, including NPDES permitting, industrial pretreatment permits, and Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act regulations and permits.
• Air pollution regulations and permits including Title V permits, and air toxics regulations.
• Wetlands regulations and permits.
• Commercial fishing regulations and National Marine Fisheries Service litigation.
• Hazardous and solid waste regulations and permits under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
• Brownfields redevelopment projects.
• Environmental compliance aspects of government contracts.
• Advice and assistance on environmental insurance issues, including pollution liability insurance.
• Mold contamination of buildings and structures.

Working in  conjunction with attorneys in our Litigation and Real Estate Practice groups, our environmental attorneys regularly advise and represent clients in:

• Environmental litigation, including toxic torts and contaminated real estate disputes.
• CERCLA (“Superfund”) claims and litigation.
• Environmental due diligence in real estate transactions including review and assistance in Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESA).
• Regulatory compliance advice and assistance in development of compliance plans and policies.
• Permit applications.
• Environmental compliance audits.
• Defense of state and federal criminal environmental cases.

Clients of our environmental law practice are drawn from all sectors of the business community including shipbuilding and ship repair, vessel owners and operators, transportation companies, port and terminal operators, construction, government contractors, industrial facilities, real estate owners and developers, educational facilities, airports, and government agencies. Several of the attorneys in our environmental practice group have degrees in engineering or natural sciences.